Parenting

I've been writing this blog for more than eight years, documenting my parenting struggles and sharing what I've learnt along the way. In that time my kids have gone from being babies and preschoolers to school-kids, adolescents and brand-new teenagers. Every stage has its challenges and its joys.

I don't pretend to be any kind of parenting expert, just a struggling mother of three dynamite, quirky kids. What I learn, I share here as I go along. Any great ideas I discover that work, I share here also, like one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread...

ON MOTHERHOOD

Ten Cool Things About Motherhood
Confessions of a Lazy Mother
Confessions of a Lazy mother - Party Edition
Lazy Mother's Guide to Defeating Drudgery
My Ten Worst Mothering Moments (and what I learnt) 
Getting Over Myself 
The Truth about Supermum

This is my Life 

Not My Mother's Daughter ...

Mother-Love 
I'm the Mum Who... 
So I Yelled... 

Crinkly Squishy Cracked Warm  
Generations 
To Young Me from Old Me...
Sometimes... (a motherhood post)
Great Expectations (a motherhood post)
Mountains, Motherhood and me
"The Days are Long but the Years are Short"
Mums We Need to Stick Together (in this online world)

FOR NEW MOTHERS

New Mother Tips {and a few War Stories}

Sleeping Through the Night

Bundle of Joy

Relax It's baby Proof!
Let the Fun Begin (toddler tantrums)

THE LEARNING CURVE

Stuff I'm Learning that's Changing Everything

Play (what I learnt  at The Incredible Years Course)

What a Difference a Play makes
I Don't Want to Miss a Thing
Ten Tips to Survive Travel with Kids

Ten Worst Mothering Moments (& what I learnt) 

Stuff You Learn at a Skate Park

Never Ever... 
The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Oil
The Upside of Imperfection
What Kids Learn from Having a Dog

GROWING UP

Mister In BeTween
Gobsmacked: The Kids STEP UP
Letting out the Leash
Countdown to a New Era (last baby goes to school)
Baby gets Enrolled
On Falling...
When Being the Youngest gets Tough
Meanness, Vulnerability and Kids on Social Media
The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Oil (learning to speak up)
Detours, Road Blocks & Getting there Eventually
How I Turned my Reluctant Readers into Book Lovers
Cheer Up (why I love cheerleading in Spite of myself)
Help! I'm the Mother of a Teenager!
A Coming of Age Celebration (13th birthday)
Time Flies: First Day at High School & Intermediate
Parenting at the Pointy End
Flying a Kite is a Bit Like Parenting
Baby turns Eight and Mum Ponders his Struggles
What Having a Dog is Teaching the Kids
How to Throw a Birthday Party for Your Teenager

STUFF KIDS DO

Strange But True (My Life is a Circus)
The Mysterious Case of the Missing Phone
A Toddler's Guide to Getting Attention
The Diva-ishness of Daughters
Miss Fab Saves a Bear
Scene and Heard
That Boy makes Me Laugh
Caught on Camera
Kids Say the Darndest things

QUIRKY KIDS (DYSLEXIA & ADHD)

Grateful to finally Know - I'm Dyslexic

Taking the Long Way Round
Dyslexic Brains are Good Brains Too
Detours, Road Blocks & Getting there Eventually
The Upside of Imperfection
Turning my Reluctant Readers into Book Lovers
This is Normal, Apparently
The Perils of Thinking Straight
In Defence of Ritalin (and ADHD Kids)

PERSONALITIES

Cool, Spunky or Spirited? Kids Personalities
Introverts and Extroverts

Personality test

IDEAS TO MAKE LIFE EASIER

The Lazy Mother's Guide to Defeating Dudgery
Tidy Up Song
Manner Jar
Morning Rush
Breakfast Brilliance
Road Trip Peace
Appreciation Training
Wisdom from Hollywood
Printable Reward Routine and Chore Charts
Weighted Blanket Tutorial (for sleep problems)

FAMILY FUN

Play (what I learnt  at a Parenting course)

What a Difference a Play makes 

Stuff I'm Learning that's Changing Everything
Great Outdoors
Letting out the Leash
Confessions of a Lazy Mother - Party Edition

SCHOOL HOLIDAY FUN IDEAS

Wet Day Fun Ideas you can Do at Home
Impromptu Garden Party
School Holiday Impromptu Lego Party
Book Party (school holidays)
Garden Fairy Party *Just because*
Star Wars Party *Just Because*
How to Host a PopUp cafe in Your Garden

FUN AT HOME

Backyard Camping
Backyard Cookout  with Truth or Dare
CampFire Nights: Circles & Triangles Game
Backyard Olympics

Good Old Fashioned Fun (Tin Can Alley)

Magical Dressup Box

Family Movie Nights
Family Sleepover Survival Guide

THEME DINNERS

Fancy Shmancy Dinner

Raj Party (Indian Dinner)

Spanish Dinner Party
Chinese Theme Dinner

Middle Eastern Dinner
Star Wars Theme Dinner (May the 4th)
Dinnertime in 30AD
First Class Titanic Theme Night
"Brave" Movie Theme Night
Cowboy Cookout
Kiwiana Theme Night